by Joe Dever
Turn to 180.
214
You can feel a current of dank, cold air against your face as you walk along the tunnel. The rock walls sparkle with a glistening ore that catches the light from your torch and reflects it in a dazzling display of colours. Fatigue and the distraction of the dancing lights make you oblivious to the fungi in which you now stand. A cloud of pink spores is beginning to rise, clogging your mouth and nostrils and threatening to suffocate you unless you act quickly.
If you wish to run along the tunnel to avoid the spores, turn to 46.
If you decide to go back to the chamber and take the south tunnel, turn to 117.
215
Barraka carries the stench of death and decay about him. He strides into the temple, his boots of Gourgaz hide covering both legs and feet, and slams shut the huge stone door with frightening ease. He stands in silence before pushing open the huge black doors engraved with the menacing skulls. Suddenly a gale force wind sweeps through the temple and your ears are filled by a terrible scream. Beyond the open doors, a pier of stone juts into the abyss of Maakengorge: you are staring into the Chasm of Doom.
Barraka turns away from the windswept pier and walks slowly towards the altar. From a hidden scabbard he removes a twisted black dagger and holds its stiletto blade to the light. An evil blue flame runs up and down the black steel spike, flickering in the ice-cold winds of Maakengorge. The sacrifice is about to begin.
If you wish to draw your weapon and attack Barraka, turn to 296.
If you wish to distract his attention from the altar without attacking him, turn to 119.
216
There is little that can be done to help the injured ranger. Tentacles now engulf the rowing boat from all sides and threaten to drag you all to a watery grave.
If you wish to help the other ranger who is now being dragged from the boat by his foot, turn to 304.
If you wish to grab the oars and row for the other side of the river, turn to 189.
217
Your men cheer with delight at your victory and drop through the stable roof to join you. A hard battle follows but the bandits are soon cleared from the stables and chased away into the stormy night.
Turn to 345.
218
The arrow flies straight and true towards the bandit, striking home beneath his raised arm. He screams and falls backwards, impaling himself on his own javelin as he crashes to the ground. You are about to draw another arrow when you see a menacing black shape dart across the sky; it plummets downwards and lands on the watchtower roof. You discard your bow and unsheathe your weapon as you race up the stairs to investigate.
Turn to 223.
219
It takes half an hour for you to recover from your ordeal and to take in your new surroundings. You are standing at the edge of a huge slag-heap, which rises out of the dark waters of the underground river. Less than twenty feet from the summit, a dim light illuminates a long stone chute. You decide to take a closer look. You soon discover that the climb is long, slow, and arduous, and only after an hour of strenuous effort do you finally find yourself at the top in a small service tunnel. The tunnel is deserted except for a mine wagon parked near to the tunnel entrance.
If you wish to examine the wagon, turn to 167.
If you wish to ignore the wagon, begin to climb the steep tunnel by turning to 185.
220
Your blow has unhorsed the bandit. He falls to the ground heavily, shattering his lance beneath him. He staggers to his feet and, raising the hinged eye-shield of his helm, he stares at you and smiles wickedly, exposing a jagged line of blackened teeth. He spits his battle-cry and runs towards you, unsheathing a broadsword as he closes in.
If you wish to fight the warrior, turn to 90.
If you wish to evade combat, turn to 163.
221
You soon reach a hall divided by a wide chasm. It is deathly quiet here, and even the slightest noise seems to echo around the grey-stone walls like a clash of cymbals. An arched bridge crosses the chasm and leads to a massive pair of stone doors. You are crossing the bridge when there is a deafening rumble. The doors are opening.
If you wish to draw your weapon and prepare for combat, turn to 50.
If you wish to flee from the bridge, run back along the tunnel and descend the stairs by turning to 228.
If you would rather leap from the parapet of the bridge into the unknown depths of the chasm, turn to 342.
222
In the plush candlelit interior of the caravan you find the actor, cowering beneath a blanket in the far corner. You flick the blanket aside and ask the petrified man to explain how he came to possess such a fine sword.
‘I … I bought it in Eshnar,’ he stammers, his eyes wide with fear, ‘from the innkeeper of the “Pick and Shovel” tavern.’ He grasps the sword by the blade and offers it to you. ‘If it is your sword I have unwittingly bought, I am truly sorry. Here, please take it.’
You grip the brass hilt and examine it closely. There is no doubt: it is a Sommlending cavalry sword, but the inscription on the blade makes your heart miss a beat: ‘Captain Remir D'Val — King's Guard Regiment’.
If you wish to keep this sword, mark Captain D'Val's Sword on your Action Chart as a Weapon.
Turn to 165.
223
Pushing open the trapdoor, you climb out onto the watchtower roof. You are greeted by a shocking sight. The bodies of Sommlending soldiers lie scattered over the floor; their armour is rent and torn and they have all suffered terrible wounds. Over the carnage hovers a monstrous bird. Its wings beat the smoke-filled air, its razor-sharp talons slashing and mutilating everything they touch. Astride the creature sits a warrior wreathed in iron and steel, the scimitar in his hand stained with Sommlending blood. He swings one leg from his gem-encrusted saddle, pauses, and then leaps down to the watchtower roof. A voice echoes in your head as the warrior closes in.
‘Say your prayers, Sommlending, for your life is soon to end!’
Illustration XIII—Astride the creature sits a warrior wreathed in iron and steel.
If you wish to fight the warrior, turn to 77.
If you wish to evade combat, turn to 128.
224
You can hear the harsh breath of the guards close behind you. Suddenly, the tunnel narrows and divides in two.
If you possess either the Kai Discipline of Tracking or Sixth Sense, turn to 60.
If you wish to enter the left tunnel, turn to 199.
If you wish to enter the right tunnel, turn to 208.
225
You try to ignore your aching legs and the fear that knots your stomach by forcing your concentration on the sun-flag, a fluttering symbol of hope in the distance. Your face is streaked with sweat, and your lungs feel as though they will burst, but you dare not slacken your pace; the thought of Warhound fangs closing and tugging on your skin is all you need to drive you forward.
At four hundred yards, you can see that the barricade and watchtower are inhabited, but at this distance the faces you can see are only a line of small, pink dots on the walls. At three hundred yards, you run into some gruesome remains, where the corpses of bandits lie twisted on the ground, most killed by arrows. Many have lain in the open for weeks; a flock of startled carrion crows rise shrieking from their feast as you race through the bodies. You turn away in disgust.
Suddenly a new sound drifts across the plain: the sound of cheering. The beleaguered defenders have spotted you and recognized your green Kai cloak. Two hundred yards to go. You have just passed the ruins of a burnt-out cottage when you feel an agonizing pain tear through your left thigh. An arrow has pierced your leg, and you pitch forward into the mud and ash.
Crouched in the ruined cottage, a bandit sniper raises his bow and takes careful aim at your head.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number you have picked is 1–5, turn to 20.
If it is 6–9, turn to 300.
/> If it is 0, turn to 181.
226
The Ruanon Forest is a tangle of pale grey tree trunks of every shape and size. Passage through these densely packed, mist-enshrouded trees is painfully slow on horseback, and you are soon forced to dismount and lead your horse by the reins.
If you wish to continue making slow progress through the forest, turn to 21.
If you decide to forsake the forest and press on along the highway instead, turn to 82.
227
You identify the birds as carrion crows, a despicable breed of Wildland scavengers. Whenever a creature lies dead in the wastelands you can be sure to find a host of these loathsome predators.
If you decide to take a closer look at what they are eating, turn to 328.
If you would rather ignore them and continue your ride, turn to 120.
228
The stairs lead directly to a lower level of the mines where a tunnel leads off to the south. You have followed this new route for nearly a mile when you arrive in a large hall. Several huge casks line the west wall, and at the far end you can see a door set into the arch of a wide staircase.
If you wish to enter the hall and advance towards the door, turn to 23.
If you wish to make for the stairs, turn to 105.
229
You drag the bodies into the thorny briars and conceal them before entering the crypt door. Once inside, you close the door behind you and follow a wide torchlit corridor towards the east.
Turn to 235.
230
You make a search of the bodies and find:
Sword
Dagger
9 Gold Crowns
Enough food for 2 Meals
You may take any of these items, but be sure to mark them on your Action Chart.
Muffled footsteps make you glance nervously along the tunnel. Two guards are trying to creep up on you under cover of the shadows, but you turn and run before they can attack.
Turn to 224.
231
Your attack is swift and deadly. The guard expires before his head hits the ground. A search of his clothing reveals:
3 Gold Crowns
Sword
Enough food for 1 Meal
You may take whatever you wish before you cross the bridge, but remember to make the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart. As you reach the far side, you hear the sound of running footsteps in the distance. You decide not to wait to see who it is and quickly enter the tunnel in the west wall.
Turn to 348.
232
You follow the river back towards the Ruanon Bridge, taking care to stay hidden from the bandit horsemen who now stand guard on the bridge itself. A few hundred yards beyond, you find a narrow track leading to a ramshackle boathouse. If it contains a boat, you should be able to cross the river quite easily.
If you wish to investigate the boathouse, turn to 68.
If you wish to continue downstream and look for some other way to cross the river, turn to 130.
233
Your rest is disturbed by the anxious shout of the night guard: ‘Awake! Awake! We're under attack!’
Throwing back their blankets, your men leap to their feet, peering through the teeming rain at the shadowy silhouette of horsemen circling the ruins. Suddenly an arrow whistles through the darkness. Your lookout screams and falls to his knees. ‘Form a circle,’ you shout. ‘Keep behind cover!’
The rangers gather swords and shields and press themselves against the wet temple marble for protection. The sound of metal-shod boots on stone makes you spin around. A dozen warriors dressed in shiny red armour are clambering across the broken pillars. Two rangers run to block their advance, but they are felled by one sweep of the warrior leader's broadsword. Then the warrior sees you and quickens his pace. His bloodied sword is raised to strike again. You cannot evade combat and must fight the warrior to the death.
Bandit Warrior: COMBAT SKILL 17 ENDURANCE 26
If you win, turn to 312.
234
You barely have time to catch a breath before a tentacle coils around your legs and drags you down.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table, and note this number down in the margin of your Action Chart. (In this instance. 0 = 10.) This number represents the number of combat rounds you can survive underwater before you begin to lose ENDURANCE points due to lack of oxygen. If you have the Kai Discipline of Mind Over Matter, you can add 2 to the number you have picked.
Giant Meresquid: COMBAT SKILL 16 ENDURANCE 37
Fight this combat as normal. If it lasts longer than the number of rounds that you can endure safely underwater, you must deduct an additional 2 ENDURANCE points for every round thereafter, due to lack of oxygen.
If you win the combat, turn to 32.
235
The corridor ends at a flight of steps that descends a hundred feet into the earth. At the bottom, a short passage leads to a junction where a tunnel runs from north to south. To the north you can see a torchlit cavern with what appear to be observation slits carved into the wall; to the south a passage leads towards a low balcony.
If you wish to investigate the torchlit cavern, turn to 177.
If you wish to take a look over the low balcony, turn to 100.
236
You are approaching a large outbuilding when you hear a muffled voice. Suddenly the door bursts open to reveal two bandit warriors, their bows raised; arrows fly and rangers fall from their horses. Drawing your weapon, you charge your attackers, but the other bandits appear from every side, and your men are caught in a murderous crossfire.
However, the speed of your attack panics the bowmen. They turn to run but you cut them down before they have taken a few steps. Then a dark-skinned warrior with black oily hair appears at a window opposite. He flicks his hand, and a knife thuds into your arm. You lose 4 ENDURANCE points. Gritting your teeth, you wrench the blade free and hurl it back. The bandit dies instantly. Clutching your wounded arm, you stagger through the building and escape through a rear door. The land that faces you now is steep and heavily forested.
If you wish to run straight into the forest, turn to 123.
If you want to change direction as soon as you are hidden from sight, turn to 169.
237
The bodies of your enemies lie entwined at your feet. You jump down from the parapet and run towards the open stone door, anxious to leave the bridge before the carnage is discovered. Beyond the doors, a ramp gently descends towards a tunnel in the west wall.
Turn to 348.
238
Placing your hands on the injured man's chest, you use your healing powers to numb the pain before withdrawing the arrow. He is a lucky man; the arrow has not pierced any internal organs. Your Kai skill repairs the punctured flesh in seconds, and you help the man to his feet. With a look of open-mouthed amazement, he watches as you turn and ascend the stone steps to the watchtower roof.
Turn to 223.
239
‘They're no ordinary bandits, they're a private army. Their leader is a renegade noble from Vassagonia called Barraka, though his men call him “Doomslayer”. After the first raid we thought he and his men would leave us alone — after all, this is a poor province even when the road carries traffic from the mines of Ruanon and Eshnar. But “Doomslayer” and his men have stayed. It's … it's as if they are determined to kill us at all costs.’
That night, the tavern-keeper's sons agree to take it in turns to sit watch at the arrow slits, so that you and your men can get some sleep.
Turn to 324.
240
For over ten miles, the river wends its steady course southwards. You pass through several grottos, but their rocky banks are so steep that they make a landing impossible. You are rowing along a particularly wide tunnel when you suddenly realize that the boat is moving faster and faster, and the faint sound of rushing water is gradually increasing. Soon the whole tunnel is filled with a thundering cacophony of noise.
You brace yourself in preparation for rough water, but you are totally unprepared for the sight that befalls you. Less than fifty feet away, the river disappears over the edge of a massive waterfall. Desperately your men row against the current towards the tunnel wall, but it is too late: you are caught in the current and are hurtling towards the edge of the waterfall.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table.
If the number that you have picked is 0–4, turn to 94.
If it is 5–9, turn to 158.
241
The ceiling of the cavern is so low that you are forced to all press yourselves against the bottom of the boat to avoid head injuries. For nearly an hour the boat is swept through a maze of underground waterways before coming to a sudden halt; you are grounded upon a bank of shingle. You are in a section of the tunnel that is much higher than any you have previously travelled. To the south the river continues into the rock-face, but to the west you notice another shingle bank and a land tunnel beyond.
If you wish to row across to the other bank, abandon the boat and continue on foot, turn to 343.